Ratchet-brace.



E. M GRAHAM.

RATGHET BRAGE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 13,- 1913.

Patented June 16, 1914.

F lru 1 JZw/ZZ JP I aluwww 25% 1 l %MZW/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD M. GRAHAM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASS'IGNOR T0 VAUGHAN & BUSHNELL MFG. (30., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

RATCI-IET-BRACE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD M. GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet-Braces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to hand tools, such as braces, having chucks or jaws adapted to accommodate bits of various kinds, and has more particular reference to such tools of the class described as are provided with ratcheting mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings and the following description I have set forth the application of my improvements to a ratchet brace, although the same are not limited thereto.

I am aware that heretofore ratchet braces have been suggested having an internal spindle or socket, adapted to receive jaws which are adjustable through the rotation of a sleeve, said spindle carrying a ratchet adapted to be engaged by pawls which may be moved into and out of operative engagement by a cam element. Various objections and disadvantages exist, however, in many such prior devices, and it is the general obj ect of these improvements to overcome such deficiencies. To this end I provide a brace in which a key or locking element is employed to retain the spindle in the spindle frame, and preferably one or more sets of antifriction elements coacting with the spindle in the process of ratcheting or in adjusting the jaws, or both, and positively locking means for adjusting operative parts both initially and to take up wear, and also, incidentally, in providing a protecting covering for the pawls so that their coactlon with the spindle may at all times be uninterrupted and unimpaired.

The principal specific objects of my invention, therefore, are to provide a brace in which the coaction of pawls, spindle, spindle frame, jaws and adjusting sleeve is made more perfect, more satisfactory to the user, free from annoying mishaps, free from the necessity of frequent adjustment of parts, free from excessive wear of elements, and, withal, to provide a brace of strong, durable and simple construction, in which the parts may readily be assembled or dismounted, which shall be light-running in action, and which will not become rickety and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 13, 1913.

Patented June 16, 1914. Serial No. 753,906.

loose-jointed, as is frequently the case in braces of the older type.

y In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, I have illustrated a preferred and some modified embodiments of the improvements and portions thereof referred to.

I Figure 1 is a side view of the preferred form, only that part of it containing my improvements being shown; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section, partly in elevat on, of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. t is a section on the line H of Fig. 2 Fig. 5 is a similar section of that of Fig. 4, but containing a modified form of locking member; Fig. 6 is a similar section showing a sliding shoe as a locking member; Fig. 7 is a small diagrammatic plan of the spindle or socket complete, the same being given a quarter turn from the position shown in Fig. 2.

The sweep 10 carrying the handle 11 may be of any approved construction and is rigidly secured to the boss or extension 12 upon the spindle frame 13, said extension having a hollow interior 14 within which are pivotally mounted two oppositely disposed pawls 15 and 15 normally pressed into engagement with the ratchet 16 by the compression spring 17 maintained in operative position by the location of its ends in recesses 18 and 18 in the cam-engaging extensions 15 of the pawls respectively. A sleeve 20 having an offset portion 21 and an internal eccentric cam surface 22 (see Fig. 3) is maintained upon the extension 12 and in engagement with the shoulder 23 upon the socket frame 13 by means of a pin 24: rigidly secured in the extension 12. From the foregoing it will readily be understood that by rotating the sleeve 20 through a partial circumference the cam surface 22 may be brought into engagement with one of the arms 15" of the pawl 15 causing the pawl to be maintained out of engagement with the ratchet 16 whereby the spindle 25 may be rotated in one direction, and that by turning the sleeve so as to engage the other pawlframe during the ratcheting of course, that the keys 27 spring 17 and the spindle 25 will be locked against relative movement in either direction.

As will be noted from the several figures the spindle 25 is preferably made of one piece extending from the head 25 to the ratchet 16, both included. Preferably adjacent to the ratchet 16, I provide in the spindle 25 a median annular shoulder, as 25", which may suitably be formed as a wall of a semi-circular groove or annular recess 26 adapted to accommodate a portion of the key or bolt 27, preferably in the form of a screw 27 which passes through or into a suitable aperture in the spindle frame tangential to the spindle 25 and is maintained in a locking position in the groove by means of a threaded portion preferably in threaded engagement with the frame, although a nut may be used.' In Fig. 5 I have shown a screw 27 a arranged diametric to the spindle 25 and having its rounded nose within the groove 26, thus locking the spindle from longitudinal movement. It is to be understood, and 27 are not in tight engagement with the spindle 25 in the groove 26, but that they permit the free rotation of the spindle in the frame,

In the preferred const-ruction shown in the drawings, the spindle 25 has a threaded portion 28 preferably forward of the groove 26. Upon this threaded portion I provide an internally threaded collar or sleeve 29 which, in the preferred construction, is hollowed or annularly recessed in its two sides thus providing raceways 30 and 31 for antifriction elements 32 and 32. The sleeve 29 is diametrically apertured to receive the lock-ing screw 33, and the spindle 25 has preferably a plurality of screw holes as 34: and 35 a short distance apart in such position that should wear occur in the raceway 30 or upon the end-abutting face of the washer 36, the sleeve 29 may be turned back slightly and the screw 33 tightened in the other screw opening 34.

Immediately next to the balls 32 and 32 I provide washers 36 and 37, the washer 36 resting upon the end-abutting face of the frame 13 and having a transverse recess 36 in its outer edge adapted to be engaged by thepin 38 outstanding from the annular end-abutting surface of the socket frame 13 about its main spindle aperture. hen the parts are in assembled relation the washer 36 is thus prevented from turning, and the balls 32 traveling thereon receive directly the thrust of the spindle and-frame when the latter is rotated or rocked in ratcheting-that is, in order to secure a new purchase upon the ratchet for a forward movement of the bit. As is well understood there may be considerable pressure between the spindle and the process owing to the fact-that in boring, sorewdriving, and

the like operations, considerable weight of the body is brought to bear against the head of the brace (not shown), and that it would prove burdensome, and it is frequently incxpedient, to remove this pressure from the hit while rocking the sweep of the brace backward for a new grip of the pawls. The antifriction elements 32 greatly reduce the friction and wear of these relatively moving parts and render the operation of ratcheting far more satisfactory than in the old way. The spindle is provided with an annular surface :10 adjacent to its threaded portion 28 and a similar annular surface 4C1 adjacent to the head 25 of the spindle. The collar or sleeve 29 and washers mentioned being removed a sleeve 42 may be slipped upon the spindle and, were it not for the jaws 4-6 and their connection, might be freely rotated upon the surface 40 and 4:1. This sleeve 42 has an interior thread 42 throughout the larger portion of its length. The spindle 25 is provided with an elongated longitudinally disposed opening 4-3 (see Fig. 7) extending through the spindle from side to side and terminating in the hollow portion of the head 25 which is well shown in Fig. 2. A rectangular block 44 having threaded edges 45 and having mounted thereon the jaws 4-6 is positioned in the opening 43, its threads being in engagement with the threads 4-2 of the sleeve 42. As the sleeve 42 is held from longitudinal movement by the washer 37 and the head 25 it is apparent that when the sleeve is rotated the block 42 will move longitudinally within the groove 4-3, carrying the jaws 46 with it. In practice I connect the jaws 4.6 with the block H by means of a spring 47 secured to the block and to the jaw, said springs being adapted to throw the jaws open when the block 4.4 is moved inwardly so as to free the outer ends of the jaws from. the binding action of the reduced opening of the head 25. Upon rotating the sleeve in the opposite direction the jaws will naturally be carried forward and be forced together by the coaction of the front end of the head 25 with the beveled surfaces on the forward ends of the jaws, the jaws being provided with shoulders 48 adapted to bear against the block -14.

It will be understood that the pin, key or looking member 27, 27 or 27 bv its contact with the annular shoulder 25 of the spindle takes pull (as distinguished from thrust when withdrawing a bit, for instance, a boring bit, out of the object into which it has been driven, and by the coaction of the adjustable sleeve 29 with the key and the shoulder 25 the spindle and frame are at all times held in close fitting and proper operative relation to each other. The endabutting face of the frame 13 takes the thrust, and the adjustment of the sleeve 29 should be such that when thrust strains are exerted the annular shoulder 25 is substantially against the key 27 but in very light, if any, frictional engagement therewith. Means are thus provided for maintaining the spindle and spindle frame together in a good mechanical fit, thereby avoiding the looseness and ricketiness of similar parts so objectionable in older types of brace, particularly after some wear has taken place.

It should be understood, of course, that the washers 36 and 37 are provided largely for mechanical expediency and that neither is essential to the construction or operation of my improved brace, as the respective antifriction elements may be made to travel directly upon the frame 13 and sleeve 42 if desired, and the sleeve 29 may bear directly upon the frame without departure from the spirit of the invention.

It will be observed that the casing or frame 13 is entirely closed when the parts are assembled, thus protecting the pawls and preventing the entrance of dust, shavings, etc. to the interior of the frame, and itwill be noted that an axial screw in the end of the spindle and frame is done away with.

The parts illustrated are made preferably of steel and malleable iron, and formed by means well known in the art. The sleeves may be of tubing. I preferably roughen the grip surfaces on the several sleeves as indicated in the drawing by means of a knurling tool, as is also well understood.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of these improvements, various changes and modifications may be made in details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of this invention, and all such changes are contemplated by me as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A brace comprising the combination of a rotatable spindle having a median annular shoulder, a spindle frame in which said spindle is adapted to rotate, said frame having an end-abutting face, a key in engagement with said annular shoulder adapted to prevent said spindle from moving longitudinally in one direction relative to said frame, and an adjustable anti-friction bearing on said spindle toward said abutting face whereby thrust strains between said spindle and frame may be taken by said bearing and said annular shoulder may be mainfiained in close fitting engagement with said 2. A brace comprising the combination of a rotatable spindle having a median annular shoulder, a spindle frame in which said spindle is adapted to rotate, said frame having an end-abuttin face, a key in engagement with said annu ar shoulder adapted to prevent said spindle from moving longitudinally in one direction relative to said frame, and an adjustable bearing on said spindle toward said abutting face, the arrangement being such that thrust strains between said spindle and frame may be taken by said bearing and pull strains may be taken by said annular shoulder.

' 3. A brace comprising the combination of a rotatable spindle having an annular shoulder adjacent to one end thereof, the other end of said spindle being adapted to accommodate a pair of jaws, a spindle frame having a socket or recess in which the end of said spindle having said annular shoulder is adapted to rotate, said frame having an end abutting face about the mouth of said recess, a key passing through a wall of said frame and into engagement with said annular shoulder, means adapted to hold said key in operative position at all times when the brace is in use, said means being adapted to permit said key to be removed out of engagement with said annular shoulder when it is desired to remove said spindle from said frame, said key being adapted to prevent said spindle from moving longitudinally in one direction relative to said frame, said spindle carrying a bearing surface in operative association with said abuttin face, whereby thrust strains between said spindle and frame may be taken by said bearing and pull strains may be taken by said annular shoulder.

EDWARD M. GRAHAM.

WVitnesses:

CHARLES E. GUN'rz, G. L. RrroHEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatenh, Washington, I). G. 

